Welcome to a special newsletter for family physicians about Family Medicine Plus, or FM+, our new longitudinal family practice model coming April 1, 2024.

Our team at Doctors Manitoba will be providing you with regular updates to help you get ready for the launch of FM+ and to ensure you are supported throughout the implementation of this new, game-changing remuneration model.

This newsletter provides the basics about FM+ and a roadmap for how we will be supporting you in the weeks and months ahead. We welcome your feedback and questions to ensure our plans have captured all the possible issues you might encounter.

Not for you? If you don’t practice longitudinal family practice, or don’t wish to receive these occasional updates, please click reply and let us know. You will still continue to receive other general updates from Doctors Manitoba.

What's New?

We have created a new resource hub for FM+ on our website, where we will post an overview, billing guidance, how-to guides, and more. Right now, you will find an overview of FM+ and a description of how the new billing components work. Check it out.

We have also created a Remuneration Overview. Read it here.

What's Coming?

Over the coming weeks we will be adding:

• Billing guidance with tariff numbers, eligible ICD codes, and Physician’s Manual language
• Questions and Answers
• Billing guidance for newborn enrollment
• How-to Guide on how to review and prepare your patient panel
• PCQI/PCDE guidelines

Save The Date - Webinar

We have also planned a webinar to discuss all of the instructions and answer your questions closer to the launch date. Mark your calendars for March 12, with a start time of 5:30 p.m. Registration details to follow.

On Our Radar

We have created a Family Physician Plus Working Group to help us work through issues and advise on the simplest approach to implementing FM+. We have also heard from many family physicians with ideas and questions.

In addition to the billing guidance and how-to guides listed above, we are also working through issues such as the following:

• Providing clarity on how patients “count” for panel payments and how patients are transferred between physicians’ panels.
• Pressing for early and clear instructions to EMR vendors and billing services to ensure billing claims are simple and ready as of April 1.
• Confirming transitional billing including the final claim for CCM and first claim for new panel payments.
• Taking on patients or full panels from other colleagues.

Is there anything you don’t see us already addressing? Let us know by emailing us at practiceadvice@doctorsmanitoba.ca

What is Family Medicine Plus?

Family Medicine Plus (FM+) is Manitoba’s longitudinal family practice remuneration model designed to better support physicians in their practices. The model was developed as part of the new Physician Services Agreement based on extensive feedback received from family physicians who asked for:

• More predictable funding, with payments occurring more than once per year.
• Better recognition of the disease burden being managed in their practices.
• Enhanced non-volume-based remuneration for services provided for patients.
• Support for primary care providers who provide lifelong care, starting with newborns.

Doctors Manitoba strongly advocated for this new model, in response to family physicians’ priorities for predictable and competitive remuneration and flexibility for different practice types. This is critical as Manitoba has the fewest family physicians per capita in Canada, and other provinces have developed longitudinal family practice models over the last two years.

Questions and Answers

Do I have to leave fee-for-service practice or sign a new contract to join FM+?

No. Unlike other provinces with longitudinal family practice models, in Manitoba family physicians simply continue their fee-for-service practice, and starting April 1, 2024 you will add on panel payments and indirect clinical services as new predictable and regular funding sources.

Are fee-for-service rates reduced with the new non-volume-based funding remuneration?

No. In Manitoba, fee-for-service rates are maintained at 100% under our FM+ model. In some provinces rates for fee-for-service visits and procedures are reduced by as much as 70%.

Do you have a question about FM+? Email us at practiceadvice@doctorsmanitoba.ca.